I’ve often heard older adults lament the lack of book reading by today’s youth. Many of us observe the majority of younger people limiting their reading to texts, filled with atrocious spelling and codes known only to them. Until recently, a large portion of society read books almost every day, from the time they started […]

Brains are curious things. Some brains can focus on problems and work out unique solutions after hours of study and thought. Others cannot focus on any one subject for any longer than your average guppy (about three seconds). I have the latter type of brain. I do admire those who have the former type of […]

During the 243 years the United States of America has been a nation, independent of England, it has continued to be a world leader and world power. It still is today, despite a previous president who apologized for its place in the world. One of the many reasons the USA has grown and maintained its […]

It was an ordinary Monday and I found myself in the grocery store line, watching as frozen pizzas and fruit–belonging to other customers–proceeded over the scanner. I was third in line, and not at all happy to be accomplishing this chore which comes around about as regularly as laundry and bills, garbage and dog baths. […]

Never have we seen an age when young adults have so much and yet are completely, utterly unsatisfied. It’s as though they are intolerable of anything and anyone that doesn’t align with their view of life. No wonder there is no room for God. Why would they serve, submit or yield to anyone other than […]

I would like to personally “thank” Mrs. Tia Hensley and Mrs. Jennifer Howard for their leadership, devotion, creativity, and guardianship over my three granddaughters during their years of serving in the Ennis Lionette organization. Both of you ladies are such fine examples of the kind of young women our girls are hoping to become. Their […]

This is not a primer for technology instructions. Technology is a wonderful thing. It has given us many things to bring ease to our lives in the last 50 years including microwave ovens, digital phones, fiber optic transmission lines, greater fuel economy in our vehicles and other amazing things. Who can remember the jump in […]

When the oscillating device is hit with anything other than air, something isn’t right. It is when things look bad that we learn plenty about ourselves and about those who surround us. The pages of this paper have published a number of articles and op-eds about leaders in education administration. With changes at Ennis, Italy […]

Patty’s Place is a small downtown restaurant that serves lunch from 11 to 4. The place is busy, but quick, clean and pleasant. Patty cooks everything herself, the menu is short and the regular customers love it. Her specialty is a large wedge of crustless greenchile quiche with a side salad and a thick slice […]

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Shakespeare may have penned that sentiment but the generations following him have worn the blush off it. If it is true, however, that a rose would smell as sweet (by any other name), does the same hold true for a boat? A bottle of nail […]

I suppose the older we get the more we reflect on our life, the pleasant and the not-so pleasant. Regrets, we’ve had a few. Do-overs, oh yes, but undoing what’s been done leaves us heavy-hearted and weary. Amid the highlight reel that plays our mind’s favorite scenes are also some decisions, some relationships and some […]

Mother’s Day is this Sunday. It is funny how these things always sneak up on me. I know they are coming, but they arrive too fast and with little warning. I know there have been the occasional commercial for Mother’s Day gifts and all, but I can’t afford most of the jewelry and stuff. And […]

Cooking pancakes is relatively easy for most people. But there is a valuable lesson for all of us in the process of making flap jacks. Here are a few tips that a novice is unlikely to know. First, do not over mix, which causes the batter to be tough. Plus, if you allow a few […]

In the last few decades, people have taken to creating new terms that, while not always accurate, have taken hold broadly to mean something specific. In most cases, no word may have previously existed for the exact idea or item. The term “African American” has been one of those. It’s been used to describe only […]

If we can find the problem, what is the solution? Shootings are happening with alarming regularity across the country. Some disgruntled someone takes up a firearm and lashes out at some perceived injustice done to him and it is on. Now the dance of politicians citing these latest outbursts as evidence for the need for […]

It amazes me how crazy people are about saying a no-no word. Whatever you do, if your pitcher has not allowed a hit and the game is in the fifth or sixth inning or later, God forbid you utter the word no-hitter in the dugout. “Shh! Don’t jinx him,” everyone is saying under their breath. […]

How is it that the fifth month of the year is upon us? Wasn’t yesterday just New Year’s Day? Goodness gracious we are nearly halfway through 2019. I just now stopped writing 2018 on anything I had to date. It is scary! And, to make matters worse, there are only 237 days left until Christmas! […]

New leadership is generally welcomed with open arms and optimism. Aesthetic, new times are like spring, full of growth and expectation. Three local school districts in Italy, Avalon and in two weeks – Ennis, have recently or will introduce a new superintendent of their school district. The process of determining a successor has led Avalon […]

Can you imagine if chickens could speak English, Japanese, German or Swahili? Even if they it spoke in a language we didn’t understand, we’d be shocked by the remarkable event. If you’ve ever been around them much, you’d know they talk about everything, using their own innate language. Of all farm creatures, they tend to […]

As the discussion of brands dominated the lunch conversation, a friend admitted over chicken salad, “I no longer use dryer sheets. Instead, I just put a wad of aluminum foil in the automatic clothes dryer and it works great.” The rest of us stopped mid-bite and asked, “You do what?” “I read about it on […]

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